Wanderlust

3.22 — “The Most Toys”

3.22 — “The Most Toys”

Plot: Lt. Cmdr. Data is kidnapped by an unscrupulous collector of rare artifacts while on an away mission. The collector, Kivas Fajo, fakes Data’s death in a shuttlecraft so that the crew believes Data to be lost. Data must figure out how to resist his captor. Will he ever return to the Enterprise?

Thoughts: I like this one more than I expected, based on the episode preview (“Next week, on Star Trek: The Next Generation…“). This is largely due to Saul Rubinek, who really elevates the Kivas Fajo character. It’s not easy to be funny while acting broadly and wearing Groucho eyebrows, but he pulls it off. Rubinek was not intended to play the part. The producers cast David Rappaport, a dwarf actor who also played the lead in Time Bandits (1981), among other roles. Rappaport attempted suicide during filming, and the role was recast and certain scenes reshot. Rappaport completed his suicide attempt two months later, shortly before the episode first aired.

I find the story to be adequate and sufficiently entertaining, but I was disappointed not to get more from a Data-is-captured story. I want to explore more about Data’s inhumanity, and how he can be dangerous if cornered. We know from prior episodes that he is extremely strong. I bet he’s capable of being fast, as well. While the episode establishes that he can’t touch Kivas, he never tests Varria, who can also operate the prison doors. There are several opportunities while the prison door is standing open for Data to rush through it, or wedge the door open with a thrown object. It would then be impossible to physically force him back into the room. Unfortunately, the producers either didn’t have the time, budget, or inclination to explore Data’s true limitations (or lack thereof).

I like a good quote from Hamlet. “He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again” is a line Hamlet speaks about his murdered father, which brings the rejoinder from Horatio “My Lord, I think I saw him yesternight.”

We are supposed to think about whether Data really did try to shoot Kivas at the end, and whether the final scenes mean that Data has emotion, or not. Did anyone find this intriguing? To me, this plays more as a reminder that this ambiguity exists in the character rather than an advancement of the conundrum.

3 out of 5 rare, supposedly extinct hand puppets Laplings.

http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Most_Toys

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14 responses to “3.22 — “The Most Toys””

  1. Walter Phippeny Avatar
    Walter Phippeny

    The ending is kind of ambiguous, but even more creepy in what it implies. Data made a judgement and decided to shoot Fajo with the illegal, super nasty, beam weapon. O’Brian then transports him to the Enterprise and tells us that the weapon was fired and does some transporter handwavium to neutralize the discharge. Once on board the Enterprise and asked about it, Data then lies by saying that he doesn”t know what happened. So, Data decided to kill someone, and then he concealed his intentions from his peers. Anyone else find this weird? The episode just suddenly veers off into dark territory and leaves us hanging.

    As always Kevin Black , you make some good points about not getting to see more of Data’s inhuman qualities in an episode where he his kidnapped precisely because he is an artificial life form. I think you’re right, they probably didn’t have time, or the budget. And their lead actor trying to commit suicide in the middle of the shoot!? Yeah, they were probably trying to get this thing in the can as fast as they could.

    Interesting trivia about David Rappaport; I just watched “Time Bandits” the other day.  

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  2. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    The Blu-ray set has a feature styled “In Memoriam David Rappaport (1951-1990)” which has the scenes shot with David. I don’t want to slight David, but Saul Rubinek did a much better job with the part. Of course, David may not have been at his best.

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  3. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    Good points about the ending. It just seemed so tossed off that my mind resists taking it too seriously. However. if Data can decide to kill, he is not bound by Asimov’s laws. That’s a scary thought–I think I mentioned this before, but see Ex Machina (2015) if you aren’t worried about the prospect of artificial intelligence without this form of restraint. Data making the choice to take out Kivas to prevent future harm is scary, him lying about it afterwards is even more scary, and connects to the possible alternative Dark Data which I saw glimmers of in 3.16 “The Offspring.”

    It’s not that I want to see them take the character in this direction, necessarily, but if you’re serious about the science fiction aspects, you have to explore the possibilities honestly.

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  4. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    We also learned recently that firing a phaser in a transporter field can be dangerous! 3.14, “A Matter of Perspective.”

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  5. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    I was actually thinking that being exposed to Fajo did cause Data to evolve the capacity for grey moral choices.  I wonder if anything will be done with this later.  

    Nice slow motion showdown between Kivas and henchwoman, much speaking without words, although hard to believe Data would not notice or intervene.  

    I know the character of Fajo was rather  broadly drawn, but in a way I see this as a statement about the perils of excess consumerism.  You can really lose track of what is important.  I would have liked it better if the character had been less extreme since I think it would have been more clearly about a social issue rather than one evil dude.

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  6. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    It’s funny–I saw Kivas as our amoral superrich, the 0.1% run amok. Torie at TheViewscreen saw an anti-Semitic Shylock stereotype.

    Torie made interesting points about Data/Kivas: Lastly, I just cannot be made to believe that there is ANY moral dilemma here about killing Fajo. Fajo has just murdered someone before Data’s eyes, and threatened to kill every one of his lackeys to get obedience from Fajo. Killing him would be saving their lives. Killing Fajo is the absolute coldly rational thing to do. And even if for some wacky reason Data didn’t see it that way, I don’t understand how the writer thought she could reconcile the concept of Data as a pacifist in Starfleet. Data is a Starfleet officer. He absolutely will kill if he needs to, that’s part of his job description! He’s a military officer! Data should not have morals, he should have rational evaluation of life against life. And even if Fajo hadn’t killed Varria, I think Data was still justified in killing Fajo, because captivity–slavery–is one of the most truly evil human conditions. “The Cage” and “The Menagerie” made that so clear–why isn’t it just as clear here? http://www.theviewscreen.com/the-most-toys/

    I think she’s right up to a point, but the obvious move for Data is not to execute Kivas, but to subdue him and bring him to justice. Which should be well within his capabilities.

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  7. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Hmmm.  The character certainly looks Jewish (and possibly gay per the commentator at “Fashion It So”).  I guess I wasn’t seeing this character as Shylockian though because the stereotype is not about frank amorality, but more about adhering to the letter of the law (or basically being a loan shark who refuses to allow people to default… which in my mind is pretty different from being a psychopath/thief/braggart).

    I do think the theme of people losing sight of what is important in order to chase after the “next new thing” or having the nicest stuff is one that our society very much still needs to hear… I wish it was more talked about.

    Regarding Data’s capacity to subdue Kivas and bring him to justice… how?  I guess I’m assuming he equipped all staff with that same device he had.  Data needs something that can stun Kivas from a distance.  Maybe he can make something out of his components?  He’s done that trick before in “Ensigns of Command”…

    It is an interesting question as to exactly how scary/weird/creepy it is for Data to be allowed by his programming to take human life.  It certainly would be a mess if something truly went wrong with his moral system.  On the other hand, that would also be true of Picard…

      

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  8. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    We have Lore as an example. Lore is a dedicated villain in the mold of Iago, Richard III, or Lex Luthor. Data rationally choosing amorality, or a different morality, would be more chilling.

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  9. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Indeed it would!

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  10. Walter Phippeny Avatar
    Walter Phippeny

    He could totally subdue Fajo; he’s a super strong robot man and Fajo is a middle aged soft dude. Is there really a question here?

    And there’s a total Shylock thing going on with Fajo. I wouldn’t go so far as saying it’s anti-semetic, but they’re using that trope to tell the audience that we’re dealing an affluent merchant guy. And, in a universe where we don’t have money, where does this guy fit in anyway?

    So, Data looks at the situation and decideds to punch Fajo’s ticket. Okay. I can buy that. The guy is bad news, and he just gunned down one of his minions who has served him since childhood. He’s deserved his villian’s death. It’s a little problematic, because it’s not really Star Fleet’s way, but, okay.

    Where it gets creepy is with Data lying afterward. Wait a minute! You were about to shoot a guy, but now you’re going to conceal that you were about to shoot a guy? What else are you hiding from me?

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  11. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Good point about the supposedly not having money… What did Starfleet give fajo then?

    Reply
  12. Kevin Black Avatar
    Kevin Black

    The Federation may not use money internally, but I believe they do trade things of value with other civilizations. Or else how does  it all work?

    Just because they cast a Jewish actor (as a last minute replacement for Rappaport, who as far as I know is not Jewish–Saul was a friend of the director who happened to be visiting the set when the need for a replacement arose) to play a character who is a villain that participates in commerce does not mean, ipso facto, that the character is a racist stereotype, right? Saul created a three dimensional character who doesn’t indulge in cozening or appear to love money for its own sake. He doesn’t try to “buy” Data, or blackmail anyone over their debts. If anything the Collector stereotype comes from European colonialism, right? Or they could have been thinking of this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collector_(comics) (The Collector from Marvel comics).

    The only weird thing to me is the way they chose to dress him in a Yarmulke and curl his hair. It appears the costumer was thinking “Jew.” It’s plausible to me that this was done with the innocent intention to emphasize that diversity survives into the future without the need for assimilation.

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  13. Randi Cohen Avatar
    Randi Cohen

    Hmmm.  I was thinking this also about Rappaport not being Jewish so the intention not being there from the start to make the character Jewish.  It’s just funny to me because the Jewish look/gestures and the antisocial personality (i.e. psychopath) just don’t go together at all.  Even the Shylock character was if anything too focused on justice and fairness, rather myopically so.  Doesn’t mean this combination can’t happen, but it’s sort of like burgers and… jelly.  Just not a combination often seen advertised, although no doubt it exists somewhere..  For instance:

    http://www.simplecomfortfood.com/2013/08/05/peanut-butter-and-jelly-bacon-cheeseburger/

    I mean, if indeed this is stereotyping, it wouldn’t be the first terrible stereotype that STTNG endorsed (definitely African Americans and Asians have already been targeted, and women have been objectified if not stereotyped), but it just doesn’t scan to me in the same way as the others do.

    They sure could have been thinking of The Collector.  Kivan and Tivan even rhyme.

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  14. R. Alex Reutter Avatar
    R. Alex Reutter

    The plan to steal Data is a pretty good one, and I love the closeups on each bridge member after the shuttle explodes.  It’s the obvious thing to do, but they could have chosen to focus on just one or two.  It’s effective.

    I love Saul Rubinek.  He’s great all the time.

    I like Geordi and Wesley going through Data’s effects (with another look at the Yar hologram), and it’s nice how efficiently the crew of the Enterprise unravels the mystery.

    I’m a little disappointed that Data is saved from committing murder by the timely appearance of the Enterprise, but they really wanted to have the final scene between Saul and Data.

    In that scene… it’s not that Data feels no pleasure because he’s “only” an android; he feels no pleasure because he’s an android.  There’s a difference.

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